On August 6, 2019, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine visited the Cleveland Museum of Natural History with his family. While at the Museum, he got to see some of the most unique things our institution has to offer, from the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank to the limited-time-only, in-house-built exhibits
Fossil Hunters: The Search for Our Past and
Finding Lucy: Our First Steps in Discovery. He also got to view one of our most famous fossils,
Dunkleosteus terrelli (or “Dunk,” as we like to call him).
Dunk is currently under review to become the official state fossil fish of Ohio. The bill, which was approved by the House and is now under Senate review, would place the fiercest fish of the Devonian sea in the spotlight. If the Senate approves this bill, it will then be passed to Governor DeWine for final approval. His visit to the Museum allowed him an up-close look at the famous fish—an opportunity we hope will persuade him to sign Dunk into legislation when the bill reaches his desk.
Governor DeWine also met with our award-winning Distance Learning team during his visit. In speaking with Distance Learning Coordinator and Museum Educator Lee Gambol, he learned about the Museum’s state-of-the-art interactive video conferencing (IVC) programs, which have drawn international interest. In fact, our state’s government recently awarded the Museum $650,000 to fund its IVC and off-site Science-to-Go programs over the next two years.
Governor DeWine then wrapped up his trip to the Museum with some inspirational words from Chief Wildlife Officer and Museum Ambassador Harvey Webster. We were honored to welcome Governor DeWine and his family to the Museum, and would love to host them again.
We are thankful to have a government official who is so interested in our institution, especially as we observed last week’s 8th Annual #InviteCongress event, which was organized by the American Alliance of Museums in order to engage museums around the country with their elected officials. The opportunity to see the state’s funding in action no doubt exemplifies the importance of continuing this support.
Our work serves the community in a multitude of ways, from shaping the young minds of students to protecting our region’s gorgeous natural areas to conducting cutting-edge research that will shape the future—and so much more. On the eve of our 100th year as a formal institution, we remain committed to our mission—to inspire, through science and education, a passion for nature, the protection of natural diversity, the fostering of health, and leadership to a sustainable future—and invite the greater community to join us as well.
With the help of charitable giving, including the state’s funding, we can continue to leave an impact not only on the environment, but also our global community. So, the next time you run into your elected representative, please make sure to put in a good word for the Museum. Your advocacy can make a world of difference.